What is Green Tech
The term
"technology" refers to the application of knowledge for practical
purposes.
The field of "green technology" encompasses a continuously evolving
group of methods and materials, from techniques for generating
energy to non-toxic cleaning products.
The present expectation is that this field will bring innovation and
changes in daily life of similar magnitude to the "information
technology" explosion over the last two decades. In these early
stages, it is impossible to predict what "green technology" may
eventually encompass.
The goals that inform developments in this rapidly growing field
include:
Sustainability - meeting the
needs of society in ways that can continue indefinitely into the
future without damaging or depleting natural resources. In short,
meeting present needs without compromising the ability of future
generations to meet their own needs.
"Cradle to cradle" design -
ending the "cradle to grave" cycle of manufactured products, by
creating products that can be fully reclaimed or re-used.
Source reduction - reducing
waste and pollution by changing patterns of production and
consumption.
Innovation - developing
alternatives to technologies - whether fossil fuel or chemical
intensive agriculture - that have been demonstrated to damage health
and the environment.
Viability - creating a center of
economic activity around technologies and products that benefit the
environment, speeding their implementation and creating new careers
that truly protect the planet.
Examples of green technology subject areas
Energy
Perhaps the most urgent issue for green technology, this includes
the development of alternative fuels, new means of generating energy
and energy efficiency.
Green building
Green building encompasses everything from the choice of building
materials to where a building is located.
Environmentally preferred purchasing
This government innovation involves the search for products whose
contents and methods of production have the smallest possible impact
on the environment, and mandates that these be the preferred
products for government purchasing.
Green chemistry
The invention, design and application of chemical products and
processes to reduce or to eliminate the use and generation of
hazardous substances.
Green nanotechnology
Nanotechnology involves the manipulation of materials at the scale
of the nanometer, one billionth of a meter. Some scientists believe
that mastery of this subject is forthcoming that will transform the
way that everything in the world is manufactured. "Green
nanotechnology" is the application of green chemistry and green
engineering principles to this field.